Diaphanous Whispers
by Captain Vulcan
Summary: Akane's life is rapidly changing. Is she capable of avoiding love's curse? More importantly, can she endure the seemingly nightmarish ordeal of becoming a Hime? Story is Akane centered and a prequel to the events of anime.


I guess I'll take a break from the comedy genre. Always wanted to take a crack at something else other than the usual farce that I tend to right. This fic is sort of a result from that desire. So, this story is a work of drama and I elected Akane as the central character. Hmm... I have yet to read a fic that has our dear emo friend as a main character. This may be the first one that truly focuses on her. Here goes nothing, I guess.

**RATED T/ PG-13: **Contents of the story include mild language, emotional turmoil, sexual innuendo and slightly frightening incidents.

**MAI HiME**

**DIAPHANOUS WHISPERS**

**PROLOGUE**

The penitentiary was the last place anyone would want to be in. It was a place of madness. Killers and murderers... psychos and lunatics... the innocent and the wrongly accused, prison is just the prelude of hell. One could only imagine a single day in the life of a prisoner. The camp could be considered a madhouse in it's own right.

It was rare that the place has guests.

"You have a visitor, Arai!"

The young woman sat before the said convict in the booth, a look of remorse oddly mixed with sanguinity in her mocha-colored eyes. The brunette wrote many letters to this man but she seldom visited him. The last time she saw him his hair was cropped cut and he was significantly lighter in frame. Now the man's hair has grown much longer and his hair was graying in most areas. He was a large, tall man. His structure was a combination of body fat (especially around his midsection) and large muscles.

"Papa..." The fifteen year old girl spoke. The phone in her hand were shaky.

"Ah, Akane..." His solemn expression on his large face suddenly became a grin. "Be careful, my child. You're the spitting image of your mother."

The brunette blushed. Maybe she should have changed clothes. Her Fuuka uniform did garnered unwanted attention from the younger prisoners. "You shouldn't joke around like that, Papa."

He laughed. "Are you kidding? Faith and humor is a prisoner's best friend, Akane. It's all that we got."

"I guess..." Akane said softly. Her father's sense of humor was contagious.

"So how's life at the academy been treating you, Little Miss?" Arai queried, sitting back and resting his hands on his big belly.

"It's been rather strange lately," Akane responded. "I mean, my grades are pretty good in both sports and academics but there's something screwy about the place."

"Hmm... a lot of boys chasing you?" Arai humored. "I can understand."

"Papa!" Akane chided, her face beet red.

He raised his hands in a defensive gesture. "Hey-- I was only kidding."

"You're impossible." The father and daughter duo were conversing as if they were in the comfort of their own abode. "Anyway... it's just that I have a funny feeling a lot lately. If that's not weird enough I've been having dreams that has something to do with the academy-- sometimes nightmares. Plus, there's this guy that's been following me."

Her father's face turned rigid at once. "Is he a stalker?"

"Well... sort of." Said Akane. "He's obviously a student at the academy but this guys seems a bit... ghastly. I mean for goodness' sakes he's no taller than I am and his eyes are an evil pink color. Even stranger, his hair is pure white."

"Hmm... maybe he's a Goth." Arai suggested. "If he tries anything, Little Miss, you do anything in your power to knock his ass out. I don't care if you even have to pick up a brick..."

"I've hit him before, Papa-- believe me." Akane interrupted. "It's just that he keeps popping up out of nowhere when I least expect it. He's a real spooky character. When he speaks to me, the topics are always along the line of 'Your times is near' or 'Accept your gift'."

Her father had his large hand to his chin in thought. "Haven't you told anyone about this guy, Akane?"

"As a matter of fact, I did. The Headmaster knows him." Akane supplied. "She tells me to ignore him because he's delusional. I've been doing that since but there is still something odd going on around the school. And I believe this stranger has something to do with it."

"Humph. Just another day in the life of a high school student." Arai shrugged with a chuckle. "Things were plenty weird back in my old high school days. I guess that's just the way it is."

Akane's eyebrows became checkmarks. "You make things sound so easy."

"You know, you sounded just like your mother just now." It was clear that the man was reminiscing the good ole days. Akane could tell that he became a bit saddened at the very thought of the late woman that gave birth to her. It made her sad as well. "Akane... I'm sorry that I'd mentioned her."

Her shoulders wilted. She was nearly on the brink of crying. "You know-- it still hurts, Papa. I know it has been five years since her passing but the anguish of losing her is still fresh." She sniffed and her eyes grew glossy. "If only I were there... I..."

The middle-aged inmate took on a solemn air once again. "Don't torture yourself, Akane. It wasn't your fault. It's good to always honor and remember your mother but don't let the pain overcome you." Akane gazed in his eyes, seeking guidance. "Akane, this is the first time I've seen you in years. You are no longer the little girl that I held in my arms. You are a young woman now. The pain that you're going through is the kind of pain that can also kill you on the inside."

"But this is my mother we're talking about."

"I love her too," he reassured. "But she wouldn't want us to be sad for the rest of our lives-- grieving over her. Life goes on, Akane. Your mother taught me that."

"I... I know that." Akane stared at him for what seemed like an eternity. Arai may have sounded so callous but Akane knew that her mother's death still pains him as well. Why do men put up such airs anyway? "Papa..."

"Three more minutes, Arai." The warden announced.

Rising from the chair, Akane told him "I must leave."

"It's about that time anyway." Arai remarked with a confident smile. "I know it was brief but it is good seeing you after all these years." He reached into the right pocket of his prison uniform and fished out a few notes he has received. "You keep em coming, Akane." He smiled, referring to the letters she's been sending him over the years. "It's pretty nice to know how's life is outside these musty prison walls."

"I'll be happy to inform you, Papa," Akane discovered herself smiling. "When I visit you again next week. I'll tell you all the details but don't be surprised if the world is essentially the same as it was five years ago." Her emotion darkened slightly. "It seems like... the world resist changes anyway."

"I guess life in prison and the outside world has much in common after all." He stroked his bearded chin in contemplation. Chuckling to himself, he rose from the booth. "Alrighty, I guess visiting time is up. You best be on your way back to Fuuka, Akane. It's getting late. There's no telling what kind of yahoos that roam around there at night. You take care, okay?"

A warm smile graced Akane's already good-looking face. "You know I will, Papa. I'm a big girl now, remember?" She waved her hand in farewell. "I'll see you soon." She swiveled on her heels and heads towards the exit.

Just as she was about to go through the exit, her father beckoned her attention once more. "Hey, Akane."

Akane skewed her gaze back at the man behind the booth. Strangely enough, a wide-- if not, mischievous grin was on his face. "What is it?"

"You're just like her." He said. "You got her good looks, intellect, and her figure."

Akane blushed. Again... "Papa! Don't say such embarrassing things. I'm not my mother."

"Of course not... you're a part of her." His voice took on a solemn tone once again. "And she's a part of you now. Remember that." He gave her a thumbs up and ambled off on the halls that lead back to his cell.

What her father just said to her may have sounded strange but... oddly enough it makes sense. _She's a part of me. _Her mind stated rather than questioned. Maybe it was a way for her not to lament so profoundly over her late mother? Maybe what her father said about her having many of her mother's traits weren't just jokes after all? Could it be that he see the woman that he loved in her now? _Of course he does, _Akane thought dismissively. _I'm their daughter. I'm suppose to have her characteristics._

A taxi cab awaited her outside the double gates of the prison. It was dark and the once clear skies were slowly being overtaken by clouds. Fuuka was a ten minute drive from here. _It looks like rain's in the forecast._

Just as she was about to get in the cab, somebody she'd never expected was already inside. "What do you want now?" Her face contorted in annoyance. "Driver, head back to the academy." The driver ignited the car and drove off on the highway.

The white haired imp contrived innocence. "It was visiting time at the camp." He said.

"I know that already. In fact, we were just talking about you." Akane sighed and sat down on the seat with a cross of her legs. "But you're not here to visit anyone. You're here to annoy me once again."

Nagi took on a look of mock-pain and tore his gaze from the comic book he was reading. "Why Akane-chan, are you calling me a stalker again?"

"Yes, pretty much." She huffed. She was really a sweet girl but Nagi really knew how to get on her nerves. "Listen, I've told you many times before-- you are not my type. You're way too creepy for your own good. You can scare away any girl by that act you always do."

"Hmm, that's funny. And here I thought that you girls at Fuuka academy grow up rather quickly." He chuckled and took a moment to take in the sight of Akane's crossed legs. His devilish smile widened. "Umm... and speaking of growing up quickly... is there someone in your life that you care about? You just don't know how pretty you are Akane-chan. You can win the heart of some lucky young man with utmost ease."

Akane nearly frowned. This creep was attracted to her. "Why is it that I attract the weird guys?" She curiously glanced at the comic book near Nagi and gathered it in her hands. "Hmm... 'the Juggernaut faces off against members of the X-men and the Avengers. January 1970' ... pretty juvenile, aren't we?"

"Hey, you gotta love the classics." Nagi retorted and pried the old comic book from her grasp. "Anyway, back to the topic at hand..."

"My aunt and father," Akane said suddenly.

Nagi was confused-- there's a first time for everything. "Huh?"

"The people in my life that I care about the most." Akane retold. "Too bad you're not in the roster. You're way to strange to me."

"That's pretty nice to know." Nagi laughed. "It seems they are very dear to you. Why not allow me to meet them one day, preferably as a couple?"

Akane suffused another blush. "You're so nerve-wracking." She sighed and regarded the driver. "Excuse me, Mr. Driver, could you drop me off over that gas station over there? I must get out of this cab as soon as possible. If I don't then this guy will drive me mad."

The driver nodded and drove over to the said service station. Nagi's eyes widened in slight surprise. "Hey! What are you doing?"

"Getting away from you, that's what." Akane retorted and quickly got out the automobile. She went up to the driver window. "How much would it be, sir?"

The driver shrugged, meaning that he wasn't charging her. "Oh, thank you so much!" Akane bowed. The driver nodded and drove off, all the while Nagi was leaning on the back window and staring at Akane with puppy-dog eyes. _Phew... I'm so glad to get away from him. Now I have to call Chie and let her know that I'm going to be back at the dorms a little late. And let's not forget Haruka... she wouldn't even give me any time of the day if I don't inform her._

Akane found the younger girl's number that was stored in her phone and dialed it. "Hey. Listen Chie... I'm going to be running a little late..."

About a quarter of a mile away from Akane, a certain silver haired instigator was laughing maliciously. "My dear beautiful Akane... soon you will have no choice but to accept your destiny. You can't swim in The Nile river forever, my lovely Hime." He stared into the eyes of the cab driver in the rear view mirror. "Isn't that right?"

The eyes of the driver glowed red in agreement.

Nagi sat back to enjoy the rest of the ride back to the land of Fuuka. "Ha... I thought so."

**END OF PROLOGUE**

**NEXT CHAPTER**

**DIAPHANOUS WHISPERS**

**CHAPTER I**

**SIGHTINGS**


End file.
